DETROIT >> Pavel Datsyuk still plans to get in a game or two before the Winter Olympics.

But he’s beginning to cut it close.

Datsyuk missed his 14th straight game Monday night with an apparent leg injury.

Detroit has two more games before the Olympics, Thursday in Florida and Saturday at Tampa Bay.

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“Hoping, looking to,” Datsyuk said when asked if he was still going to play in the Olympics. “I don’t know. I’m just trying to make sure I play one or two games (before). That’s my goal now.”

Wings coach Mike Babcock made it sound like Datsyuk’s participation in the Games is highly unlikely.

“I just watched him in practice, his one leg isn’t holding up,” Babcock said. “Obviously, Pavel wants to play for his country and he wants to be a part of things, but you’ve got to be healthy.”

Datsyuk is also the captain of Russia.

“I’m not thinking about over there now,” Datsyuk said. “I’m thinking about coming back to our team and helping our team.”

Datsyuk wouldn’t say if he was unable to play in one of the final two games before the Olympics if that would ruin his chances of participating in Sochi.

“I just want to play. That’s my goal,” said Datsyuk.

Datsyuk wouldn’t comment on what on what some fans are saying that if players can’t play for their NHL team then they shouldn’t play in the Olympics.

“Everybody has own mind,” Datsyuk said. “Everybody has own decision. It’s my decision.”

Nyquist added to Sweden roster

There will indeed be six Swedes on the Wings’ roster participating at the Winter Olympics with Gustav Nyquist being added to Sweden’s roster to replace Johan Franzen, who withdrew from the Winter Games last week due to a concussion.

“It would be a lot of fun to go with all of these Swedes in this room, to go to Sochi and to represent your country in the Olympics is, would be something special, and I would be really excited for it,” Nyquist said before learning the news after the team’s morning skate at Joe Louis Arena.

Nyquist made a strong case for it coming off his first career hat trick on Sunday.

“Yeah, I guess it was good timing,” Nyquist said of his hat trick.

Coming into play Monday, Nyquist had eight goals and four assists in his last eight games.

“The puck’s finding me, I guess, but also look at a couple goals I get, passes Z makes, they’re pretty good passes,” Nyquist said. “Obviously it helps to play with him and (Justin Abdelkader). Abby does a great job for our line, he’s always first on the forecheck, he’s a big body and he wins so many pucks for us. My linemates are a huge part of that.”

This and that

Brian Lashoff replaced Brendan Smith on the blue line.

“I’ve seen lots from Lash so he’s going in,” Babcock added when asked what he’s seen of Smith lately.

Smith drew a tripping penalty in overtime that led to the game-winning goal by Washington on Sunday.

Vancouver coach John Tortorella made his return behind the bench after serving a 15-day suspension for an incident on Jan. 18 against Calgary.

“I apologize first and foremost to the players for the situation I put them in, to the organization for my stupidity, to the league, it’s been embarrassing and not just for me, but for everyone around me,” Tortorella said before the game. “I’m not going to spend any more time on this. What’s happened was deserved. I hope it makes me a better coach, but it certainly doesn’t stop the situations I’ve put a lot of other people in, especially my other coaches.

“It hasn’t been a great two weeks,” Tortorella added. “It’s been very embarrassing for my family and for myself and more importantly, everybody around me that I’m supposed to represent. As far as the nonsense I caused, I want to move by it. I think too much focus has been put on this. We need to worry about our hockey club right now.”

Send comments to chuck.pleiness@macombdaily.com and visit his blog at redwingsfront.wordpress.com